Folding table.



A. D. LANE.

FOLDING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 30. I916.

Patented June 5, 1917.

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ALEXANDER D. LANE, OF RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA.

FOLDING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Application filed September 30, 1916. Serial-No. 123,057.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER D. LANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rapid City, in the county of Pennington and State of South Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to foldable articles of furniture; and it contemplates the provision of a simple and strong camp table and cupboard constructed with a view to being quickly and easily folded and reduced to a small compass, and as readily unfolded and set up ready for use.

The device in its folded state is designed more particularly to be carried on the running board of an automobile; and its novelty, utility and practical advantages will be fully understood from the following description and claims when the same are-read in connection with the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this specification, in which: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in sec tion showing my combined table and cupboard as set up ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the device in its folded state.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section illustrative of the device when adjusted for use.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

The cupboard 1 of my novel device is in the form of a horizontal receptacle, and is provided with transverse partitions 2, and cover sections 7; the said cover sections being hinged at 25 to the side walls of the re ceptacle, and being capable of being swung upwardly and outwardly so as to uncover the receptacle and permit of the convenient placing of utensils, dishes and the like there in. It will also be manifest that the doors or cover sections 7 are adapted to be swung inwardly and downwardly to the closed position shown in Fig. 3, and that when the table top 12 is superimposed on the said cover sections 7, as when the device is folded, the said top 12 will serve to effectually prevent casual opening of the said sections 7, which is an important feature of my invention.

Hinged at 4 and 6, respectively, to the sides of the receptacle 1 are the legs 3 and 5 of the foldable device. The legs 3 are connected through the medium of a transverse bar 23, and the legs 5 are similarly connected by a transverse bar 23. Interposed between the bars 23 and the bottom wall of the receptacle 1 are folding braces which are clearly'shown in Fig. 1. The said braces respectively comprise a comparatively long member 19, a short member 21, hinged at 20 to the long member and also hinged to a bracket 22, fixed on the adjacent cross bar 23, and a member 18 hinged at one end to the upper portion of the member 19 and at its opposite end to a bracket 16, carried at the'undersid'e ofthe receptacle 1. The said braces are capable of being flexed, and consequentlyit will bemanifest that the legs 3 and 5'can be swung inwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2 at the sides of the receptacle 1 and adjacent to the bottom thereof. It will be noticed in this connection that the cross-bars 23 are adapted to bring up against the bottom of the receptacle 1 and thereby limit the movement of the legs 3 and 5.

Hinged at 11 on the upper ends of the legs 3 are brackets 10 to which the top 12 is fixed as best shown in Fig. '3, while hinged M9 to the" sides of the receptacle 1, above the legs 5, are swinging supports 8, which supports are pivoted to hangers depending from the top 12 as shown in Fig. l.

The top 12 is provided on its side edges with leaves 13 which are hinged at 14 to said side edges and are provided with straps, one of the said straps being equipped with a buckle 15 as shown at the left of Fig. 3, whereby when the leaves are swung inwardly on the top 12, they may be expeditiously and easily secured in such position.

It will be readily appreciated that when my novel device is set up ready for use as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, it affords a table and a cupboard of considerable capacity, and manifestly access can be readily gained to the interior of the cupboard or receptacle 1 for the transfer of dishes and the like from the same to the top 12. It will also be observed that when folded as shown in Fig. 2, the device makes a very compact bundle and one in which casual opening is reduced to a minimum. This latter is due to the fact that the folded device rests on the cross bars of the legs 3 and 5, and also to the fact that the weight of the top 12 is imposed on the cover sections 7 of the receptacle 1.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. A combined foldable table and cupboard, comprising a receptacle having hinged cover sections, folding legs connected with the receptacle, and a top connected with the receptacle and certainof the legs; the said connections being constructed and arranged to enable the top in the folded state of the device to rest in superimposed relation on the cover sections to retain said cover sections in their closed positions.

2. A combined foldable table and cupboard, comprising a receptacle having hinged cover sections, legs hinged at an intermediate point in their length to one end of the receptacle, legs hinged at their upper ends to the opposite end of the receptacle,

1 braces interposed between the legs and the bottom of the receptacle and constructed and arranged to be flexed to permit of folding of the legs, brackets hinged to the upper ends of the first named legs, swinging supports hinged to the receptacle adjacent to the opposite end thereof, a top connected with said brackets and support and having.

hinged leaves on its side edges, and means for connecting said leaves together when they are swung inwardly on the top; the said top being capable of being arranged in superimposed relation on the cover sections of the receptacle.

3. A combined foldable table and cupboard comprising a receptacle, legs hinged at an intermediate point in their length to one end of the receptacle, legs hinged at their upper ends to the opposite end of the receptacle, braces interposed between the legs and the bottom of the receptacle and constructed and arranged to be flexed to permit of folding of the legs, brackets hinged to the upper ends of the first-named-legs, swinging supports hinged to the receptacle adjacent to the opposite end thereof, and a top connected with said brackets and supports. I

4:. The combination in a table of the foldable type, of a body, legs hinged at an intermediate point in their length to one end of the body, legs hinged at their upper ends to the opposite end of the body, braces interposed between the legs and the underside of the body and constructed and arranged to be flexed to permit of folding of the legs, brackets hinged to the upper ends of the first named legs, swinging supports hinged to the body adjacent to the opposite end thereof, and a top connected with said brackets and supports.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER D. LANE. Witnesses:

ETHAN ALLEN, ED S. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

